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No. 770,371. PATENTED SEPT. 20, 1904.

J. M. KATZ.

DRESS SUIT CASE.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 2, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Patented September 20, 1904:.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JOSEPHM. KATZ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DRESS-SUIT CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,371, dated September 20, 1904.

Application filed November 2, 1903. Serial No. 179,448. (I-I0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. KATZ, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dress-Suit Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of baggage generally known as dress-suitcases, and has particular relation to a construction by which. canes, umbrellas, fishing-rods, and other similar objects too lengthy to be packed in the case may be conveniently annexed thereto.

The object of this invention is to provide a dress-suit case wherein permanent means will be provided whereby umbrellas, canes, fishing-rods, and other similar lengthy articles may be secured thereto with such a degree of permanency as will permit the convenient handling, opening, and closing of the case without disturbing said articles.

A further object is to provide a case having the above characteristics which will be neat 1 in appearance and not only serve to retain such articles exteriorly thereof, but also afford protection thereto and permit a convenient attachment and removal of such articles.

A still further object is to provide a case of this description which will be so constructed as to be manufactured with economy both as to the number of parts and the manner of assembling the same and as to the cutting of the leather for such parts.

The invention consists, broadly, in providing in a dress-suit case, in combination with the body of the case, a casing secured exteriorly of said case and means whereby said casing may be contracted to retain articles placed therein, and in those other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dress-suit case embodying the preferred form of my invention, showing a cane and an umbrella placed therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view in section toward one end of the form of casing and the preferred means for so contracting same as to bind it about and retain the articles therein, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of my invention disclosing a different manner of attaching the contracting-straps relative to the casing and t0 the body of the case.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, a indicates the body of the case, and Z) the cover. These parts may be of ordinary construction; but for economy in cutting the leather 1 preferably make the bottom and the side a of a single piece and the top a of a separate strip. \Vhile this construction is preferred, it need not be employed in combination with the other features of the invention. This construction, however, presents the additional advantage that it permits the application of the exterior casing to the body of the case in a convenient manner and admits of stiffening this edge if desired, aconstruction now but little employed, and when so employed, owing to the said casing overlapping the seam joining the side with the top, this scam is so concealed that in appearance it differs little ornone from a case wherein the top, bottom, and side are all formed from a single piece. When the case is made of material other than leather of good quality that is. in cases of lower grade these advantages are not present to the same extent.

The cover Z) is hinged to the body a of the case in the usual manner and is provided with the lock-tongue and securing-straps c 0 on opposite sides of said lock.

(Z indicates the handle, which may be of any desired construction and secured to the body of the case in any desired manner.

In the preferred form of the invention I provide a continuous flexible strip formed of leather or other material to coincide with the general quality and appearance of the case, so doubled upon itself as to form a casing 6, extending along the edge of the top of the case opposite the cover. This casing e is formed by stitching the edges thereof together, leaving one of them as a flap a, by

means of which the said casing is secured to l purpose of confining articles placed in the easthe body of the case. vention the strip a is inserted between the edges of the top piece a and the overturned edge of the side ct and secured thereto by the same stitches used to connect these parts. To accommodate this casing to the demands for a variance in capacity and to retain the different articles therein, it is both desirable and necessary to provide means for contracting it. To avoid a multiplicity of parts, and to con serve the neat appearance of the case, I preferably utilize the body-straps ff for .this purpose, extending same so as to form a loop inclosing said casing and attaching the end thereof to the body at any desired point beyond said casing. These straps are confined so as to have the loop portion thereof properly taken up relative to the said casing by a guide-loop g g, secured to the body of the case adjacent to said casing and on the side thereof opposite to the point where said strap ends are secured. The straps c f f are provided with the usual buckle -holes and buckles, respectively, so that in fastening the cover thereby the said casing will be simultaneously contracted to the required extent through the taking up of the loop portion in the straps ff.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8 the parts and their general arrangement and mode of operation are identical with that of the preferred form, the sole difference residing in the location of the loops g g and the point of attachment of the straps f f relative to the casing 6 resulting in such control of the said casing e as to cause it to more'completely lap over the seam at the point of its attachment to the body a.

The structure heretofore described as the preferred form of my invention is used and operates in substantially the following manner: It will be observed that when the straps c 0 ff are released each from the other the casing c is free to have umbrellas, canes, fishing-rods or like articles slid therein without difficulty or danger of injury to the same and that under ordinary circumstances this casing alone will retain the said articles therein. It is possible, therefore, to open the case at will without any liability or likelihood of these articles requiring readjustment or replacement thereafter. hen it is desired to se cure the cover, it is merely necessary to use these straps in the usual way, thus drawing the straps f f through the guide-loop g g in a manner to take up the loops in said straps, respectively, which inclose the casing a, and so contract said casing as to firmly hold the articles contained therein.

While I have shown the casing as being a continuous loop, it may be dispensed with, as the loops in the straps ff alone serve the In this form of the ining.

In fact, in certain grades of cases I prefer to employ these straps having a permaent loop portion without a casing.

It is apparent that the continuity of the casing from end to end of the case is not essential to the invention, although preferable on account of the improved appearance of the entire case and the protection afforded to the articles contained therein. It is therefore not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction herein shown and described, such being capable of variation to adapt the invention to different designs and grades of dress-suit cases.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. In a dress-suit case, the combination with the body of the case, of a plurality of straps secured on the top thereof adjacent to the edge opposite the cover, means confining said straps respectively whereby a permanent loop is formed therein, straps secured to the cover and adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned straps to simultaneously take up said loop and fasten the cover.

2. In a dress-suit case, the combination with the body of the case, of a flexible casing secured on the top thereof adjacent to the edge opposite the cover, a plurality of straps secured to said case-body and inclosing said casing, a guide-loop on said case adjacent to said casing confining said straps and straps secured to the cover adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned straps to simultaneously contract said casing and fasten the cover.

3. In a dress-suit case, the combination with the body of the case comprising a bottom and one side made of a single piece and a top made of a separate piece, of a flexible casing secured to said top comprising a strip of material doubled upon itself and attached to said top by having one edge thereof inserted between said side and said top pieces and sewed therewith, a plurality of straps secured along the edge of said top opposite the cover and on opposite ends of the case, a guide-loop on said top adjacent to said casing on the side toward said cover whereby said straps are confined to form permanent loops inclosing said casing, and strapssecured to the cover and adapted to cooperate with said first-mentioned straps to simultaneously contract said casing and fasten said cover.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, tl1is30th day of October, 1903, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. KATZ.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. BRECKENRIDGE, F. T. VVENTWORTH. 

